The Labor enquirer., 1887-01-08
MEET THE ISSUE.
An Ordinary Nan, Asks
Pertinent Questions ofail
AriStocratic Club.
Why Is Not the "Bull' Is Inch
J Of : Disturbsr y the
Labor Organizeri
The Same Sad Condition In all Ceuns
tries which Nay be Rsnsdlsd
in : Peacsabls Manner.

|, tries Which Hay be Renedled
in Z Peacsabls Manner.
/ From tho Chicago TribuneJ
TO the Commercial Club or Dr. Burrows.
MAPLEwooD. ILL.,. Nov. 20. In report
ofthe clubs dinner 1t wss generally con.
ceded that the ignorance Of the < laborer
in regard to the principle on which this
country was organised and founded was
the cause Of his discontens. l would
like to ask some questions. and have
them answered without lodging, and 10
plain English. Ny style may not be Of
q literary character. as nv education
was limited to12 years Of age on sccbunt
ofsome things we complain of Il it not
a fact that there are familiesiin destitute
circumstances from va Of work large
numbers Of women who are working
sixteen hours a. seamstresses for 40, 80
and 90 cents . day; Young, mon and
bows tramping from day TO day looking
for work little children working eight
to fourteN p hours day for $3.50 to $3.50
per week Z
Has the Commercial, or any mer.
chants, or any wealthy peoples club
taken steps or paid any attention to the
sufferings'of humanity until their profits
we're looked at? VIII a knowledge Of
the constitution Of tho United States, or
the laws. feed my hungry children
when l look for work and find none1
Will it rest the weary eyes and aching
back Of the weary seamstress r win It
keep our girls the future motherhood
of our nation-purs when driven into
ways of vice to keep up such an appear.
ance as their employers demand !? Will
it keep the store-houses Of the nation
from the glut Of over production and
consequent lack Of employment viii
1T keep the bread-winner of the land sat
is6ed with his misery and danger Of
want with plenty on every hand and not
a mouthful to eat2
l ask again. will l-they be satisfied with
q perusal of statistics Of the doipgs of
philanthroplc men. coupled with their
observation. which tells them Of the
misery. in existence? Will it Keep them
quiet when 1t is positively known there
is wknt in families whose members
never tasted liquor ofany kind. not even
wine, and then to be told that it is drink
that ails them? Will they not com.
plain when q perusal Of the figures of
the Illinois bureau Of Statistics shows
that the average wage is 81 and the aver.
age production "a. Will they NOT in
quire if this is not a. rather expensive
system that requires rs cents to OK.
change 25 cents of produce from the
producer to the consumer? Will II
keep him from asking what our wise
men know when such men as John
Sherman. after twenty years. tinkering
with our money, come out fatty and
frankly and say they do not know what
to do with the silver question, unless
the government buys all the silver pro-
duced? Will they ask, why not buy all
the grain. potatoes. coal, and other nee.
essaries that are produced? and why
wealth, economically y cons nsidered, is &C.
cumulated labor, and then whenever
fresh tide Of wealth In the shape of for
eign immigration cones it makes their
wages lower, and with greater likeli.
hood of their being laid of? Will they
not ask why, with protective tariff In
this country. there is nee ,ssity for free
soup houses and police station lodging
houses ~
In free trade England we hear of
bread riots and necessary display Of
force to prevent breaking up of dis.
play Of the tawdry and tinsel lord
mayors show by an exhibition Of their
squalor and misery beside it. From the
discriminating tariff country, Germany,
we hear of starving communities. And
is It not fact that in all Of the cities IN
the world. as proven by statistics. that
insanity and immortality are in q large
proportion caused BY overwork and an
undue solicitation for the future These
are illustrated by such press items as
this: "A man walked all the way from
Massachusetts to Colorado and back
again. finding no work. He then cut
the throats of ofhls two innocent girl
babies. and then killed himself, saying
no girl of his should lead q life Of
shame" Or, take the woman who
walked into the lake off Lincoln park
while in delirium Of starvation and
want or, take the ex.druggist who. from
fear Of want coming into his family, com.
mitted suicide 90 as to give his Il miIy
$1,000 from insurance. expectI will
be told that these things are American
institutions and that l cannot UNDER
stand them. Emust confess 1 do not nm
derstand the necessity for them.
Rollins, In his history of ancient
E2ynt. gives their definition Of govern-,
ment as q system Of making life easv.
According to this idea We are not sue
cess. ! must say I cannot understand
how country can in var times compel
ma Ia nr0tect ifa infArAsta. and Nndanrar